Ottawa Sun: Don Brennan reports on the Ottawa Senators who come back to New York on a two game winning streak and playing some good defense. Head coach Craig Hartsburg praised the Islanders as one of the surprise teams in the league.

According to Mr Brennan Alexandre Picard is out, Brian Lee & Zach Smith were recalled with the later making his NHL debut if Shean Donovan cannot go. Hartsburg reportedly will keep the Heatley-Jason Spezza-Daniel Alfredsson line together tonight.

Luke Richardson decided to retire yesterday when Ottawa placed him on waivers.

NYI Fan Central Comments:Islanders come in a very fragile club that have to be a little tired and banged up while Ottawa was waiting in New York and no doubt remember the two losses to them.

You can bet like Pittsburgh & Boston teams are watching films of the Islanders leaving the middle of the ice open.

Only question (at this time) is whether Okposo gets back in the lineup now or he gets another five days by resting tonight. MacDonald will be back in goal according to the head coach yesterday and will have to put yesterday behind him.

Okposo plays and I expect another right wing in Jackman is the odd-man out but it could just as easily be Colliton unless the coach is running out of patience with Tambellini.

Gordon has space here to rest a defender if he wants.

Overall this is almost a must game for the Islanders, standings do not lie and all these regulation losses are simply too much to remain in any feasible contention for long unless they have a long winning streak in them again.

Regulation losses in this league are killers, this is why you have to get games into overtime.

This was expected to be a very tough stretch and it has been. 2-3 is hardly terriblebut it needed to be better considering the record coming in and one of those wins came off a gift goal.

Updated:Newsday: Greg Logan in the Islanders Newsday blogin reporting Bailey's signing also had Kyle Okposo skating with the injured players meaning he will not return tonight.

A second blog by Mr Logan again mostly about Josh Bailey includes Yann Danis was recalled today with Peter Mannino heading back to the Sound Tigers.

Mr Botta at Point Blank here reports Thomas Pock has been placed on waivers.

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